Medstar Montgomery Medical Center — Financial Assistance & Charity Care

What Maryland law guarantees

Under Maryland Hospital Financial Assistance Law (Health-General §19-214.1), Medstar Montgomery Medical Center must provide FREE care to uninsured patients at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, and discounted care for patients up to 300%.

This is the legal minimum — Medstar Montgomery Medical Center may offer more generous help. The only way to know is to apply, and applying is always free.

Your immigration status cannot be used to decide if you qualify — Maryland law bars hospitals from considering it. Eligibility depends only on your household income.

Apply within 240 days of receiving your bill — that is the deadline to claim this discount under Maryland law, so apply as soon as it arrives.

Even if your income is above the usual limit, Maryland law reaches further: for families up to 500% of the Federal Poverty Level whose medical debt over a year is more than 25% of their income, the hospital must still provide reduced-cost care. It is worth applying even if you think you earn too much.

Once you qualify for free or reduced-cost care, Maryland law keeps the bill from growing: the hospital cannot charge interest before a court judgment, cannot report the debt to credit agencies, and cannot sue you over a bill of $500 or less.

How to apply

When you call, say: “I'd like to apply for financial assistance (charity care) for a hospital bill. Can you send me the application and tell me which documents I need?”